Yes, people vote on election day in Chicago, but to what end?
Elijah Flores was just nine years old when he was killed—too young to vote, and now he’ll never get the chance. According to media reports, he was walking alongside 22-year-old Jonah Soria near a Green Line station in Chicago when a verbal confrontation between Jonah and two men nearby turned dangerous. The men began chasing Jonah and Elijah, who ran away as quickly as they could. When it became clear that Elijah couldn’t keep up, Jonah scooped him up in his arms and kept running, trying to get them both to safety. However, as they ran down the steps, one of the men struck Jonah in the back with an object, causing him to lose his balance. Jonah and Elijah tumbled down the steps, Jonah landing on top of Elijah. The impact fractured Elijah’s skull, leaving him unconscious, and he was later pronounced brain-dead.
Elijah Flores is one of at least 18 children killed in Chicago so far this year.
That night, Illinois Governor Jay Pritzker, alias “The Fat Man” (weighing 320 pounds), dined at Chicago’s swank Fat and Fatter restaurant, gobbling up deep-fried mozzarella sticks with bacon-wrapped jalapeños, served with ranch and blue cheese dips, followed by a main course of a 24 oz ribeye steak, topped with herb butter and foie gras, and a side of creamed spinach (heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan). And for dessert: New York cheesecake topped with whipped cream.
Tawon Tribble, age 13 (he’ll never get to vote either, and neither will any of the children mentioned below), was shot in a home in Englewood around 7 p.m. on a Monday. He died of a gunshot wound to his chest, and a person of interest was said to be being questioned.
That night, Pritzker (who now weighs 325 pounds) enjoyed a “Southern Comfort Feast.” Appetizer: Fried chicken skin cracklings with honey butter dipping sauce. Main course: Chicken-fried steak with sausage cream gravy. Sides: Macaroni and cheese (made with Velveeta, cheddar, butter, and cream) and fried okra. Dessert: Deep-fried pecan pie with vanilla ice cream.
Jerry Aquino, age 15, was walking home in Little Village around 5:10 when a driver pulled up, and someone in the car fired shots, at least one of which hit Jerry. Jerry tried to sprint away, but the shooter jumped out of the car and continued to fire at him. Jerry suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died.
That night, Pritzker (weighing 327 pounds now) enjoyed a classic “Diner Grease Bomb.” Appetizer: Chili cheese fries with sour cream and extra cheese sauce. Main course: Triple-patty bacon cheeseburger with fried eggs, onion rings, and mayo. Sides: Tater tots fried in lard. Dessert: Deep-fried Twinkies and Oreos, dusted with powdered sugar.
Amari Williams, age 13, was found shot to death in a North Lawndale neighborhood backyard.
That night, Pritzker (weighing 320 pounds—he’d been sick) had a classic “French Indulgence Dinner.” Appetizer: Escargot swimming in garlic butter. Main course: Duck confit with truffle cream sauce. Side: Potatoes dauphinoise (layered with cream, Gruyère, and butter). Dessert: Crème brûlée made with extra egg yolks and heavy cream.
Deangelo Miles, age 17, was shot in an alley in West Pullman early on a Sunday morning.
That night, Pritzker (weighing 321 pounds) enjoyed a “Tex-Mex Overload.” Appetizer: Queso fundido with chorizo and tortilla chips fried in lard. Main course: Chimichanga (deep-fried burrito) filled with ground beef, cheese, and refried beans cooked with lard. Smothered in sour cream and queso. Sides: Mexican street corn slathered in mayo, cotija, and butter.
Of course, the dining and the menus listed here (and perhaps the governor’s weight) are fictional. What is not fictional is the governor’s apparent complete lack of concern about the children killed regularly in Chicago—18 so far this year—and a whole lot more adults, of course. In 2023, according to Reason magazine, “More people were murdered in Chicago (population 2.7 million) than in all of Italy (population 59 million). Pritzker will go to war to stop President Trump from… stopping the killing of children, from stopping the killing of anyone in Chicago. The killings as listed don’t mention the race of the victims, but it’s a good bet that most of them are blacks or other minorities. How many people who live in Pritzker’s neighborhood have been killed by drive-by shootings? Anyone? And for extra credit, how many of his neighbors are black?
Pritzker said recently, “We’ve been fighting crime. We’ve been trying to prevent crime, and it’s been working.” Working where he lives, perhaps. Try telling that to the kids in Chicago whose friends have been murdered. The city reported 573 homicides in 2024, the most of any U.S. city that year. Meanwhile, Chicago’s democratically elected Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval rating reached a historic low: an unprecedented 6 percent, the lowest of any mayor in history.
What’s the conclusion? Here’s one: democracy has its limitations. Here’s another: if you live in Chicago, buy a gun.
Daniel Oliver is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the Education and Research Institute and a Director of the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy in Pasadena, CA. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission under President Reagan, he was Executive Editor and subsequently Chairman of the Board of William F. Buckley Jr.’s National Review.
Email Daniel Oliver at Daniel.Oliver@TheCandidAmerican.com.